Match Recap: Sacramento Republic FC 4, FC Anahuac 0

By Sean Steimel, 05/17/17, 10:30PM PDT

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Sacramento Republic FC advance to the Third Round of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with a 4-0 victory over FC Anahuac behind a brace from Harry Williams and a goal each from Wilson Kneeshaw and Daniel Trickett-Smith.

Sacramento Republic FC broke through in the 12th minute after dominating possession from the start. Midfielder Elliott Hord was able to find space on the right flank and send a low driven cross into the box for forward Harry Williams who got a flick touch onto the ball, sending it inside the far post and into the side netting for the opening goal.

Three minutes later, Hord would again link up with Williams on a very similar cross, which the forward was able to knock past FC Anahuac keeper Angel Octavio Alvarez and into the back of the net for Williams’ second goal of the match, putting Republic FC ahead 2-0.

FC Anahuac had a decent chance on goal in the 37th minute when forward Ismael Santana was able to beat Republic FC keeper Dominik Jakubek to a ball in the air. Santana chested the ball down and had to turn to face goal as he sent a shot right at Jakubek who was able to parry it away to a defender.

Republic FC forward Sammy Ochoa had a good look on goal in the 43rd minute as he blasted a right-footed shot on goal. Alvarez was in a good position to make the save and push the ball out of play. Republic FC would go into a halftime with a 2-0 lead.

Williams nearly had his hat trick goal in the 53rd minute, once again getting behind a cross from Hord, but Alvarez was able to make a key save again. Ochoa had a breakaway chance snuffed out by Alvarez just a few minutes later. Williams had two more chances to snatch his hat trick before he was substituted off for Wilson Kneeshaw.

Kneeshaw converted a penalty kick, an appropriate birthday gift to himself, in the 66th minute after he was clipped in the box by FC Anahuac defender Christian Esnal Fernandez. Kneeshaw calmly placed the ball in the bottom left corner of the goal, past a diving Alvarez, putting Republic FC ahead 3-0.

Second half substitute Daniel Trickett-Smith would score Republic FC’s fourth in the 85th minute when he drilled home a rocket, side-winding volley. Forward Trevin Caesar attacked up the left side and sent a shot on goal that was deflected straight up in to the air. Trickett-Smith was in perfect position to send his volley on net as he found the back of the net to give Republic FC a 4-0 lead, which they would carry to the final whistle.

“No game is a gimme“, said Republic FC Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle. “We stuck together and we got a good result tonight.”